City Kemp News
The study of Western Classical Music is a beautiful journey that culminates in a symphony. This form of music is popular among today’s youngsters and that wasn’t the case about three decades ago, when Western Music was considered only for the older, elite crowd. Today, the education of western music has taken a new dimension with teachers employing new methods and techniques. Kudos to Dr Ashley William Joseph.
Now he is honoured to be on the International Jury Panel for the Piano, violin and chamber competitions. The only Indian member in this panel.
Dr Ashley Williams is an internationally acclaimed Orchestra Conductor and soloist based in Bangalore where he also heads the William Joseph International Academy for Performing Arts and the Indian National Symphony Orchestra.
Dr Ashley Williams is the Director & Conductor of over 100-year-old Bangalore Musical Association; Director- William Joseph International Academy for Performing Arts and Chairman – William Joseph Music Foundation, which are based in Koramangala. The Academy’s children’s choir was selected to record the theme song for the 2008 Beijing Olympic games.
Dr Ashley William Joseph is the first Indian graduate from Manila, Philippines, conferred with a Ph.D. in Music from the Trinity Open University. The then Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa had honoured Dr Ashley William Joseph in 2009 for his outstanding contribution in the field of music and music education.
Ashley has created a niche in the music industry by exploiting the in-born talents of this generation and providing the one-stop shop to learn Musical instruments, Dance, Drama and Vocal training. With the Bangalore Music Association, the direction of which he took over from his father, he has produced a yearly classical concert of serious European choral music.
In the broader picture, Dr Ashley has shared a programme with Zubin Mehta, and composed and directed the music for Tom Stoppard’s play “Rough Crossing”. Ashley is the only Indian to accompany the Asian Chorale on its concert tour of Sweden, where it performed for the King and Queen.
Dr Ashley Williams, started his early learning in music under the guidance of his father, the late Maestro J T William Joseph.
In 1985 he was selected under a scholarship to pursue his professional studies of music at Manila, Philippines. During his stay and study in the Philippines, he specialized in conducting, vocal techniques, piano, guitar, organ playing, and ethnomusicology.
There he performed with the Philippine philharmonic orchestra, Philippine Madrigal singers and the Asian Chorale. His performances with them equipped him both as an interpreter and an excelling teacher, which was the base for the founding of the William Joseph International Academy for Performing Arts in Koramangala, Bangalore.
A soloist and conductor, Ashley specialized in the performance and composition of ethnic instruments. Besides did extensive research on the history, origin and performance of the Sitar.
The Rotary Club awarded him for “excellence in the field of music” .
Ashley has directed and produced many Broadway Musicals some of which are My Fair Lady, Man of La Mancha, Oliver Twist, Sound of Music, Fiddler on the Roof, Jungle Book and Annie.
There is more to his credit. Ashley has directed and re-arranged the recording of ancient Kannada Folk songs. Besides, he has also brought out fundraising concerts for Kargil victims which was attended by the 3 retired chiefs of the Armed Forces, Gujarat Earth quake, Domnic Saldana concert, all these concerts have had the participation of leading musicians of the city.
Former director of music and cultural activites at the Sophia High School and music teacher at Notre Dame Teachers Training College and started the Sophia Brass Ensemble, which today can proudly boast of being the largest in the State [120 strong]. Dr. Ashley has also composed the music for the Traffic Wardens March too.
Today he has a dedicated staff, gifted and well able to meet the demands of the curricula. He has established links with the best schools of music and dance in the Indian traditions, both serious and popular, all of whose services are available to the Academy.
